In a thread somewhere in here I read that someone said they had tinted Interlux VC Performance Epoxy (which is only sold in white). I want more of a cream color if that's possible for the bottom of my Malahini. The Interlux people do not recommend adding anything to their product. Does anyone here have experience with doing this? If so, how did it turn out? What type of tinting was used? (paint, gel coat, stain?) And / or brand name of pigment if possible. I have very much appreciated so many of you on this forum and the amount of experience and knowledge therein. (when I searched this type of paint I came up with hundreds of postings and have spent hours going through them with no luck)...

Tom: I think Bill Edmundson mentioned tinting Interlux at Sherwin Williams. I don't know the details. I have been using WR-LPU from system 3. It goes on nicely and they have a cream color. Only problem is it is not really a bottom paint and can not stay submerged for long periods of time.

Thank you both! I will check out the local SW dealer to see what they could do. I guess my main concern is if tinting the stuff will compromise its bonding ability and wear. Given that the stuff comes in white I'll test a sample with the color charts SW uses and see how it looks. I've heard good things about the WR-LPU and given that this boat will be trailered I might go with that. Its also a little bit cheaper. I do like the idea though of a bottom paint that will hold up for years and have heard from others that the VC Performance does that. I've scrapped down and painted enough old fishing boats over the years that I would not look forward to doing that every few years on a non-dry docked runabout.

I used VC Performance Epoxy on my ZIP, albeit professionally sprayed, too many chemicals even for me!

My ZIP spent several summers in the water for over a month at a time. I believe the product is rated for up to 60 days of immersion. Other than cleaning up the pollen line the bottom remained in perfect condition.

My ZIP was also trailered over 5,000 miles and innumerable launches and retrieval system, and no sign of any wear on the bottom.

Tom B.
Unfortunately no new updates. Been some delays here in Squirrel Hill, my church has been doing a lot of support for our neighbors and that's been top of the list...
I've put on the skeg and spray rails and will be priming everything over the next couple of days. I went ahead and bought the VC Performance paint and till apply it as soon as the surface will be ready. I've decided to leave it as white and not tint it. Originally I thought a cream color would look nice with the dark blue but after looking at a lot of boat pictures I think the cream would just look like a faded white that's had too much sun and not enough cleaning... so white it is.

It is good that you can support your neighbors. The boat will be patient.

I suspect that a gel coat tint would work. Not sure about a SW tint compatibility with two-part. My last visit to SW for white paint left me with a paint chip book full of different whites. I asked the clerk for "just plain white"... they don't carry that